Senior Electrical Engineer - Spacecraft Power Systems & Bus Architecture

Insider, Inc.; Bothell (WA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage

401(k) retirement plan (future access)

Paid vacation (2-3 weeks per year)

Job summary

Insider, Inc. is seeking a Senior Electrical Engineer to design power systems for spacecraft, focusing on critical components like solar arrays and battery management. This position requires hands-on testing and collaboration with cross-functional teams.

Ideal candidates have a B.S. or M.S. in Electrical Engineering and over 5 years of experience. Compensation includes competitive salary, stock options, comprehensive health coverage, and vacation time.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience designing power systems for aerospace or high-reliability platforms.
• Strong understanding of DC-DC converters and battery management systems.
• Hands-on experience testing flight hardware.

Responsibilities

• Architect and design spacecraft power systems and interfaces.
• Lead development of spacecraft power bus for load management.
• Perform trade studies for battery capacity and solar array performance.

Skills

Power systems design

Power electronics design

Hardware testing and debugging

Collaboration with engineering teams

Education

B.S. or M.S. in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Altium Designer

PLECS

SPICE

Job description

We are seeking a Senior Electrical Engineer with deep expertise in hardware electrical design for spacecraft, particularly in power systems engineering and bus-level power management.

Responsibilities

• Architect and design spacecraft power systems including solar array interfaces, battery charge/discharge regulation, power distribution units (PDUs), and system-level grounding schemes.
• Lead development of the main spacecraft power bus: voltage regulation, load management, protection, and redundancy strategies.
• Perform trade studies and system sizing for battery capacity, solar array performance, and bus architecture optimization.
• Develop schematics, PCB layouts, and cable harnessing for power boards and interface hardware.
• Drive hardware bring-up, functional testing, and fault isolation on power boards and integrated systems.
• Collaborate with systems, mechanical, and thermal engineers to align EPS design with mission requirements and spacecraft constraints.
• Contribute to environmental testing for acceptance and qualification and EMI/EMC compliance for power hardware.
• Coordinate with Launch Providers on interfaces and concept of operations during payload integration, launch pad and waking up in space.

Basic Qualifications

• B.S. or M.S. in Electrical Engineering or related field.
• 5+ years of experience designing power systems for aerospace, spacecraft, or other high‑reliability platforms.
• Strong understanding of power electronics design, including DC‑DC converters, battery management systems, and overcurrent/undervoltage protection circuits.
• Proficiency with ECAD tools (e.g., Altium Designer) for board design and system schematics.
• Hands‑on experience testing and debugging flight or flight‑like power hardware in lab and system testbeds.

Preferred skills & Experience

• Experience with spacecraft power architectures including unregulated and regulated bus designs.
• Knowledge of space‑grade components, derating guidelines, and radiation effects on power electronics.
• Familiarity with power system modeling and analysis tools (e.g., PLECS, SPICE).
• Experience with EPS integration and operations on actual flight programs.
• Familiarity with standards such as NASA‑STD‑4005, ECSS‑E‑ST‑20‑20, or NASA power interface specs.

Compensation & Benefits

Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package at Portal. You may also be eligible for long‑term incentives in the form of company stock, stock options, or long‑term cash awards, as well as potential discretionary bonuses and the ability to purchase additional stock at a discount through an Employee Stock Purchase Plan. You will also receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage. Portal is planning to establish future access to a 401(k) retirement plan, short & long‑term disability insurance, life insurance, and various other discounts and perks. Employees typically have 2‑3 weeks of paid vacation per year plus company holidays.

ITAR Requirements

To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, the applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.